Brandi Muilenburg is an integrative and functional nutritionist specializing in autoimmune health, gut health, personalized nutrition, and Mediterranean diet. She is the founder of Functionally Autoimmune and Cesira Olio D'Oliva. Brandi is a certified olive oil sommelier and the host of the Functionally Autoimmune podcast.
Are you tired of being tricked by food labels and marketing? Supermarkets today are packed with thousands of options, but many of these products contain sugar and chemicals waiting to wreck your health. The key to keeping your pantry and fridge stocked with health-promoting foods is to learn how to find the hidden clues on the labels. In this guide, we will discuss five tools you can use every time you shop to ensure you're not wasting your hard-earned cash on fake foods. Let’s look at the easy things you can do to beat the labels.
1. Read the labels
Our lives today are busy and packed with loads of responsibilities. Going to the market for groceries may not be the most exciting part of your day. You may even feel rushed or short on time, grabbing familiar items so you can get in and get out. It can seem overwhelming to think about taking the time to read product labels when shopping. Many times, the information is confusing, or you are unclear about what to look for. However, taking the small step to read the labels will save you time and money in the long run. Your health will thank you.
Marketing
All grocery markets are in the business of selling food, and all food brands are in the business of selling their brand. Marketing techniques are used to improve the sales and profitability of a product. This is why many food labels are purposefully designed to pique the interest of the target market. Breakfast cereals, for example, may feature a cartoon character to entice children to ask for a certain brand. Food companies also use colors, wording, graphics, and fonts in ways that communicate an idea to the consumer. While marketing cannot outright lie to you, it can be used to deceive you. A great tool for finding quality foods is to look past the marketing and carefully read the words on the label, including the fine print.
Sells gimmicks
Marketing, as we discussed, can be used to motivate you to purchase products, but brands can also employ gimmicks to entice you. Gimmicks include things like special shapes or styles of bottles, interesting packaging that doubles as decor, or illustrations linked to nostalgic times. One example of this is the popular plastic squeeze bottles for olive oil seen on social media. These bottles hide the quality of the oil and instead provide a gadget marketed as helping you "cook like a chef." However, oil should never be purchased in plastic. The chemical nature of the plastic interacts with the oil and causes it to degrade quickly. This item, and many others, sells in the millions not because it is a good, healthy product, but because people buy into the gimmick.
2. Read the ingredients lists
The first thing you want to look at when reading a label is the list of ingredients. All packaged foods are required to have the ingredients listed on the label. Items such as produce and meats do not have ingredients labels because they are natural whole foods. The vast majority of packaged foods in the markets today have ten or more ingredients listed on the label. Sugar alone currently has over sixty names that can be used on food labels.
Sugar content
As you just learned, sugar has many names that can be listed on a food label. Sugar is one of the most commonly used ingredients in processed packaged foods. Learning and identifying these names on the ingredients list will help you avoid adding excess sugar to your daily diet. Taking a quick glance at the sugar content on the nutrition panel does not provide the full picture of what the product contains. The average daily intake of sugar per person in America is 20 tablespoons per day. This amount is far above the nutritional recommendation and is contributing to chronic illnesses. Reading your ingredient labels and avoiding foods with excess sugar is an important first step in taking back your health.
Chemicals
Many processed foods available in the market contain chemicals, preservatives, and additives. These are added to food for various reasons, such as shelf stability, texture, color, and flavor. Many of these chemicals have addictive properties, causing you to overeat and continue purchasing the product. When reading a list of ingredients, if you see items that are difficult to pronounce or words you have never heard of, these are likely chemical additives. These additives must be approved for human consumption; however, they are approved for small quantities. A diet high in processed foods will likely lead to a much higher consumption rate than the approved levels, which are deemed safe. These additives are now linked to many chronic illnesses and food allergies. A good rule of thumb when reading labels is to choose only items with five or fewer ingredients and only those that contain ingredients you recognize.
Ingredient list structure
Reading the ingredients list on food labels is a powerful step toward knowing what is going into your body. It is also important to understand how these lists are structured to gain a broader view of the food you're considering. The ingredients are listed from the most abundant to the least abundant in that specific recipe. If sugar is the first ingredient listed, the product contains a large quantity of sugar. The last ingredient on the list is present in the smallest amount. Reflecting on our sugar discussion, it is possible to have multiple types of sugar listed in varying quantities within a single product's ingredients list. This should also be considered when reading the number of chemical ingredients and noting where they fall on the list.
3. Nutrition panel
The nutrition panel is the most recognizable part of a food label. Most people are accustomed to looking at this box for basic nutritional information about the product. This is where you will find the calorie count, fat content, sugar content, and more. The nutrition panel is legally required for all packaged foods. Let's now examine the small print that can hide important details on the nutrition label.
Serving size
Every nutrition label must include the suggested serving size for the product it represents. The serving size is an important number to review before deciding to purchase a product. Many serving sizes are much smaller than what the average person actually consumes in one sitting. If a product indicates the serving size is one cup, that means each cup contains the amounts listed on the nutrition label. This is important because it’s easy to consume more calories and sugar than you realize, simply by exceeding the serving size.
For example, a product containing 200 calories and six grams of sugar per serving, with a serving size of one cup, will double those values if you consume two cups. That means you would be consuming 400 calories and 12 grams of sugar. It’s easy to see how quickly this can add up if you don’t pay attention to the labels.
Nutrients
All nutrition labels include a list of nutrients such as potassium, vitamin D, calcium, and iron. These nutrients are listed in grams, micrograms, or milligrams, depending on the serving size. Each nutrient is accompanied by a percentage, which reflects the percentage of the daily value for that nutrient. A value less than five percent indicates a very low amount, while a value of 20 percent or higher indicates a high amount.
Some processed foods list certain nutrients with a zero in the value spaces, indicating the product does not contain that nutrient at all. This section helps you assess the nutrient density of a product based on the serving size. Many processed foods are fortified, meaning vitamins are added to the product during production and are not naturally part of the food.
Added sugar
The added sugar category on the nutrition label is another important aspect to monitor. This section is often listed separately from the total sugar section to indicate that additional sugars were introduced during processing. These added sugars must also appear in the ingredients list, often under various names.
To determine the total sugar content per serving, you must add both the naturally occurring sugars and the added sugars. For example, a fruit juice containing naturally occurring sugars will not list added sugars on the label but will still have a significant sugar content. Most fruit juices contain around 30 grams of sugar per serving from the natural fruit.
4. Company details
One item on food labels that most people ignore is the manufacturing and packing information. These details are usually located in small print on the back of the labels. You may be asking yourself why these details matter. The answer is that they provide insight into where the food comes from.
Multiple locations
Some items, such as olive oils, have a high rate of counterfeiting, allowing low-quality products to make it onto shelves. Reading the company details can provide clues about whether the product you are purchasing fits into that category. Many companies are located in a different country than their manufacturing plant, which is not uncommon. The red flag is when the ingredients and products come from various locations and are then combined in one place to create a single product.
An example of this is in the olive oil industry. The labels often indicate, in small print, that the olives contained in the bottle come from multiple countries. This is problematic because olives begin to ferment as soon as they are harvested. The travel time from each country to the pressing location allows too much time to pass, leaving the oil devoid of nutrients. These details are intentionally made small so that consumers believe they are purchasing high-quality oils.
Production phrases
There are a few key words to look for when shopping to determine whether a product is high quality. Terms like "blended," "mixed," "packed in," or "multiple origin" may appear. These words might be acceptable for some products but are often indicators of extensive processing routes. Long processing times can suggest that a product is ultra-processed and nutrient-deficient.
Mixing and blending can also be used to dilute an expensive, high-quality product with a low-quality counterpart, making it cheaper to produce. Keep an eye out for these terms and consider whether they make sense for the product you are purchasing.
5. Is it worth your investment
Personalized health and wellness start with individual decisions. Each time we step into a market to purchase food, we are making a health decision for ourselves and our families. We often judge an item's worthiness based on flavor, smell, or past experiences. However, it is an adjustment to start evaluating foods based on their health value.
Does it promote health or disease
Every food in the supermarket will either promote health or promote disease. Items high in sugar, such as sweets and ultra-processed foods, contribute to chronic inflammation and disease. Vegetables, meats, and fruits, on the other hand, contain nutrients our bodies need for survival and promote health.
Food choices do not need to be all or nothing to support a healthy, nutrient-dense lifestyle. You can still enjoy cake on your birthday or an occasional treat without guilt. However, the majority of your dietary decisions should be based on whether the food promotes health. Consider adopting this thought process as a normal part of your grocery shopping routine. Ask yourself these questions with each item going into your cart.
Cost vs reward
Investing in your health is a new way of thinking about food. Everyone has to eat, and everyone has to purchase food from somewhere. The decision often comes down to time, convenience, and cost. For some, fast food checks all these boxes in a positive way. While fast foods are indeed quick, convenient, and inexpensive, they also come at a higher cost to personal health.
It is true that processed foods in supermarkets are often cheaper than natural whole foods like produce and meats. However, many of these foods are made up of chemicals and non-food additives, making them less expensive but also nutrient-deficient. These types of products do not offer a positive cost-to-reward ratio. Consider this ratio when shopping or purchasing food to determine how the cost-to-reward ratio balances for you and your personal health.
Combining tools
Combining all the tips and tools in this guide will help you make informed decisions when purchasing food. A diverse diet has been shown to promote strong gut health, reduce inflammation, and improve overall wellness. Cooking meals at home allows you to control your ingredients and nutrient intake. It is also a great way to develop new skills and bring friends and family together in the kitchen.
Read your labels and never be fooled again by tricky marketing, sneaky sugars, and health-damaging foods. Take control of your health by managing what goes into your cart and your body. If you need help or guidance along the way, Functionally Autoimmune is happy to assist you in creating a personalized nutrition plan. Set up a free discovery call today!
Brandi Muilenburg, Functional and Integrative Nutritionist
Brandi Muilenburg is well-known for her work in personalized nutrition utilizing the Mediterranean diet. Her personal healing journey with Hashimoto led her to dedicate her life to helping others through research-based personalized nutrition. She founded Functionally Autoimmune, the home of the Gut Health Academy and personalized nutrition resources with a mission to help others live healthy lives. Brandi also founded Cesira Olio D'Oliva, a high-quality, sustainable Italian olive oil brand, to teach others the health powers of this ancient ingredient. Her mission: Everyone deserves to be healthy.
